Thames Water adds wind power to Crossness sewage works

Thames Water is upping its green credentials and adding a £5 million wind turbine at its Crossness sewage treatment works (pictured) in London.

The facility, which treats the waste from 2.5 million people, is already partially powered by solar panels and an energy from waste plant.

The turbine is expected to generate 2,344MWh of clean electricity every year, equivalent to powering around 800 households. The project is part of the water company’s wider programme to expand its renewable energy production.

Tim Hockney, Thames Water project manager at Crossness said: “By installing solar panels or erecting a wind turbine we can generate electricity from the sun and wind which would otherwise go unharnessed.

“This cuts our overall carbon footprint and reduces our reliance on the non-renewable mainstream energy market and its price fluctuations, which is good for us and our customers.”

Last year Thames Water produced 12.5% of its total energy needs from renewable sources. It aims to cut carbon emissions by 20% by 2015 based on 1990 levels.